Biology at Swarthmore

<p>Okay i hope this doesn't sound like a stupid question....but i was wondering if anyone could talk to me about biology at Swarthmore in terms of how good it is, the professors, the research opportunities and overall experience and if possible tell me how it stands in comparison to biology at a university?</p>

<p>I was a biochem major, so I took a bunch of bio classes, knew a lot of bio majors, and did bio research on campus one summer–the bio department is amazing! there are a lot of really good teachers in that department and a few superstars that are really well respected in their fields outside of swat, which is kind of amazing for a LAC scientist. it’s really really easy to get research experience with professors on campus, although a bunch of people were successful finding stuff elsewhere. I’d also say the overall vibe of the department was friendly and supportive. compared to other schools? I’m not really sure as I never was an undergrad anywhere else, but I’m working in a bio lab at harvard right now and I’d say that while the undergrads here obviously have amazing opportunities, it is harder for them to get funding for summer research on campus than it was for us, and they’re obviously not the professor’s main focus when they do their research (although they get to hang out with grad students and post docs, which is another kind of benefit). feel free to PM me if you have questions about specific professors or whatever.</p>

<p>ps- graduates of that department are super successful in terms of getting into good grad programs and med schools</p>

<p>I’m a freshman (anticipated) bio major and I’d just like to second all of what biophys said. I have felt both encouraged and challenged by the bio department, and I really love all my profs and my advisor. As with any LAC, there is a lot more undergraduate-led research than at a university (I was an intern in a lab at UC Davis, for instance, where undergraduate research is really supported. But even there, it was the grad students who were publishing rather than the undergrads. Here, undergrads publish, or go to conferences).</p>